September

Judging by the new and emerging risks throughout higher education, risk management has become a more pressing issue than ever before. That's according to Jean Demchak, managing director and global education leader at Marsh LLC, a risk management firm, and Luke Figora, assistant vice president of the Office of Risk Management at Northwestern University and president-elect of the University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA). They spoke at Stetson University's National Conference on Law and Higher Education.

A recent New York Times article, "An Ice Scientist's Worst Nightmare," described millennia-old ice samples from the Arctic melting because of a freezer malfunction in a lab. The loss of the ice cores will hinder scientific research into how changes in the atmosphere have shaped Earth's climate history and how these changes could affect the planet's future. The principal investigator (PI) and his team now need to find the time and funds to go back to the Arctic to take more cores and replace the samples. This is much easier said than done, and such a malfunction has the potential to delay research and could result in a loss of future grants (consider the increased competition for research funding), hamper retention of faculty and students and inflict overall damage to an educational institution’s reputation.

It's human nature to panic when disaster strikes. Fear is paralyzing and, in the case of a property manager, can cause even more damage than the disaster itself. Those called upon to ensure the safety and security of property units and their residents have the all-important task of staying calm and acting swiftly in a time of crisis. It is during these times that having both a strategic disaster plan in place and a partnership with a trusted restoration company is paramount to long-term success. However, there is often a waiting period before restoration specialists can arrive on site.

URMIA's Communications Committee invites you to meet Luke Figora, president-elect of URMIA and interim associate vice president for financial operations and assistant vice president for risk management and environmental health and safety at Northwestern University.

Discover the latest risk management resources we have added to the URMIA Library, plus a selection of upcoming risk management events, webinars, conferences and other learning opportunities for you or your campus colleagues.

"Addressing Sexual + Intimate Partner Violence in Campus Health Centers," Futures Without Violence. This guideline document, first published in 2015, provides strategies, tools and resources for providers, staff and administrators working in campus-based health settings to incorporate sexual and IPV prevention and response into their work. Moving beyond the limits of disclosure-driven practice (e.g., traditional screening for domestic violence), this approach ensures that all patients, not just those who are able to disclose violence, have access to information, resources and support.

"CollegeAIM: College Alcohol Intervention Matrix," The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The College Alcohol Intervention Matrix is designed to help institutions of higher education (IHE) make research-based decisions on which intervention strategies are best to help their campuses address alcohol-related problems. The strategies focus primarily on reducing student drinking — and thereby reducing all possible harmful consequences — rather than on trying to prevent particular outcomes such as overdoses, sexual assaults or alcohol-impaired driving.

"Harnessing the Blockchain Revolution," CompTIA. A leading tech association, CompTIA has produced this practical guide to help those in the public sector understand the promise, the uses and the questions that blockchain currently presents. The guide is intended to provide a framework for that analysis.

"Report on Campus Protests and Demonstrations," The National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS). What is the role of the emergency management program during the planning process for events likely to result in protests and demonstrations? This was the question driving the discussion at a forum of campus public safety executives from 23 IHEs held on November 10, 2017. This report shares the discussions and recommendations that emerged from that meeting.

"Risks and Liabilities for Student Organizations," National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA). URMIA was a cooperating association on this NACUA webinar and has archived the webinar slides as a PDF file for you. The webinar covered the value of student organizations, recognition of student organization, conduct expectation and enforcement, managing risks and special issues related to specific student organizations.

"Campus Policing in an Urban Environment," National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS). This report summarizes the discussion and recommendations of participating campus safety leaders from 17 IHEs, federal officials and several campus safety-related professional associations at a forum held in July 2018. Participants identified five areas as challenges: campus access, resources, relationships and partnerships, student welfare off campus, and communications. They brainstormed potential solutions and came up with five detailed recommendations.

"Are You Prepared for an Active Shooter Incident?," Onsolve, LLC. Aimed at promoting both workplace safety and business continuity before, during and after an active shooter event, this ebook is designed to serve as a planning resource for employers, employees and the public at large.

FEATURED ARTICLE

Glenn Klinksiek has been a leader in higher education risk management and involved with URMIA for 30 years. His retirement as URMIA's education manager will take place during the 2018 Annual Conference, which makes this a perfect moment to acknowledge the scope of what he has contributed to the profession and to this association.

As the 49th URMIA Annual Conference approaches, now is a great time to familiarize yourself with URMIA's Mobile Schedule app and to personalize your schedule according to your interests. This is also where you can provide feedback on the sessions you attend during the conference.

About URMIA InsightsInsights is the bi-monthly online newsletter for the University Risk Management and Insurance Association. Published by URMIA’s Communications Committee, this newsletter contains more than the latest information about URMIA. Insights gathers thoughtful commentary on higher education risk management as well as tutorials and detailed explanations of risk management practices and tools.